Siege at the Villa Lipp Read Online Free PDF

we get lots of peculiar characters at these seminars of ours, all sorts of nosey-parkers, including, I have to say, some of our competitors in the tax haven area. We don’t object. If we can teach them something, well that is what we are here for, to teach. It is though a trifle irksome, I admit, when they make fools of themselves by wearing disguises.’ I contrived a sudden look of anxiety. ‘You really are Professor Krom, I hope? This –’ I held up the card - ‘is not, by any chance, a disguise within a disguise?’
    He had been watching me intently and with a certain air of disbelief. Now he shook his head slowly. ‘No, I am Krom. Why? Were you hoping that I wasn’t?’
    ‘On the contrary, I was hoping that you were. You see, this is the first time we have had the pleasure of entertaining a Professor of Sociology. This is an occasion. Still – ‘ perplexity again - ‘I’m afraid I don’t yet see the connection between your field and ours. Unless, that is, you are seeking advice on how best a good Dutchman may avoid those onerous Netherlands taxes.’
    He suddenly grinned again and clapped his hands softly. ‘An excellent performance,’ he said, ‘really excellent. Just for a moment there you nearly made me forget. Forget Oberholzer and Kramer, I mean. You see, Mr Firman, my field is criminology.’
    It was time to show my teeth. I said: ‘You’ll find no able criminals here, Professor Krom.’
    He positively giggled. ‘From defence to attack, eh? The pretence of ignorance is abruptly discarded in order to disconcert. Splendid impertinence!’
    I went on as if he had not spoken. ‘So I’m afraid your little fishing expedition will have to be written off as a waste of time. Sorry.’
    Protesting hands. ‘Oh, but it has got off to a most successful, a most promising, start!’
    The drink arrived just then. I was glad of the diversion. The man was proving hard to handle, and I needed time to think. I could have done with more. It was necessary to find out from him what he considered success without actually asking, and I made a complete hash of it.
    When the waiter had gone again I said: ‘Then you must be easily satisfied.’
    He read me instantly. ‘I can well understand, Mr Firman, that you are curious.’
    ‘I’m surprised, certainly.’ No point in letting the adversary see your discomfiture even if he must have sensed it. I kept going. ‘You bait your hook with some mysterious substance labelled Oberholzer and Kramer, and catch an empty beer can. If you think that’s good fishing, naturally I’m surprised.’
    The teeth flashed triumphantly. ‘You’ve missed a trick, Mr Firman!’
    ‘I am sure that you intend to tell me which.’
    ‘Of course I do. You fell into the trap of failing to ask yourself an obvious question.’
    I smiled. ‘How do you know what questions I ask myself, Professor?’
    ‘I know you haven’t asked yourself this one because you haven’t asked me for the answer. Consider. You are told that Oberholzer and Kramer are waiting to see you. Correct?’
    ‘I am told that two persons of whom I have never heard are waiting to see me.’
    An upraised forefinger flicked the quibble aside contemptuously. ‘Yet, in your anxiety to set eyes instantly upon the person who uses these unknown names, you quite overlook the oddity of the channel of communication he has chosen to use.’ He paused before going on. ‘Do you usually in this hotel receive messages about visitors from the receptionist? Doesn’t the concierge’s, the hall-porter’s, department function here?’
    I managed, not without difficulty, a careless shrug. ‘It functions, yes, and quite efficiently. I presume you thought that a busy receptionist was less likely to remember your face than the concierge who gives you your room-key and who might also be unsympathetic to practical jokes.’
    He gave me a kindly look. ‘Not bad for a spur-of-the moment invention, but it won’t do, will it? Hindsight content